Characteristics of classic tales

Category : Topics in the syllabus

What is a classic tale?

A classic tale is a story that has been told and re-told for many years, and consequently, becomes a story that almost everyone knows. Classic tales are also referred to as fairy stories or fairy tales.
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It's a traditional story written for children about magical events and imaginary creatures such as dwarfs, dragons, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, griffins, mermaids, talking animals, trolls, unicorns, or witches.

Classic tales exist in every culture in the world and they are strongly influenced by oral traditions. They come from a culture where certain elements were once believed to be real, such as ogres, witches, dragons and sprites. 

Classic tales appear in books, movies, music, and art. Sometimes different countries seem to have the same stories, but changed to fit the people and places.
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​Here is a list of famous classic tales:

• Little Red Riding Hood.
• Cinderella.
• Three Little Pigs.
• Snow White.
• The Ugly Duckling.
• Pinocchio.
• The Beauty and the Beast.
• Sleeping Beauty.
• Hansel and Gretel.
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
• Jack and the Beanstalk.
• The Princess and the Pea.
• Rapunzel.
• Puss in Boots.
• The Fisherman and his Wife.
• The Little Mermaid. 
• Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves.
• Rumpelstiltskin.
• The Pied Piper of Hamelin.
• Aladdin and the Magic Lamp.
• The Frog Prince.
• King Arthur and the Sword.
• Mulan.

Main characteristics

Here a list of its main characteristics:

• Fairy tales happen in the long ago. They set in the past.
• ​It usually begins with "Once upon a time...”
• It has magical and fantasy elements.
• Fairy tales have a problem that needs to be solved.
• The numbers three and seven are very special and common in fairy tales (three bears, three wishes, seven dwarfs).

• Royalty is usually present in a fairy tale, a beautiful princess or handsome prince.
• Fairy tales have clearly defined good and evil characters.
• The hero is usually faced with a problem which has to be solved.
• The villain acts as an antagonist to the good character and they usually have evil powers which are used to cause the good character pain.
• Sometimes the hero has to rescue someone else who is in trouble or danger.
• The hero doesn't usually have magic powers, but sometimes they have access to magic helpers or objects.

• The helper assist the hero or main character of the story. They are often unnamed or anonymous, and provide help for no reward. The helper is important to the success of the quest or hero's journey.
• Good characters are rewarded and bad characters are punished.
• Animals have human traits.

• Dark spells can only be broken by love or self-sacrifice.
  
• A classic tale usually has a happy ending - "they all lived happily ever after".
• It usually teaches a moral lesson.

Story elements

Setting

• Unspecified place or time.
• Common places are: forest and castles.

Characters

• Fairy tales have imaginary characters that are good and bad.
• Fairy tales often have royal characters such as kings, queens, princesses and princes.
• Characters in fairy tales often have magical powers or magical things.
• Animals act like people. 

Plot

• The plot focuses on a problem or conflict that needs to be solved.
• Things often happen or appear in "threes" or "sevens". For example: 3 little pigs and 7 dwarfs. 
• Wishes are often granted in fairy tales.

Theme

• Good and evil.
• Right and wrong.
• Justice and injustice.
• Love and hate.
• Weak and strong.
• Revenge and forgiveness.